A Changed Lestrange (1-2) (under editing)

3: Battling A Malfoy And Seeing An Old Fraud

"What's he doing?" asked Ashton a couple of minutes later, gesturing to Percy who was reading - presumably about Prefects who became role models in the Ministry or some rubbish like that. Ashton expected Percy would read that kind of stuff.

The four of them neared toward Percy as Ron read aloud off the back of the cover.

"A study of Hogwarts Prefects and their later careers..." he read aloud sarcastically. "wow, that sounds fascinating..." Ashton snickered. 

"Go away." snapped Percy pompously. 

"'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out .... He wants to be Minister of Magic..." Ron told Ashton, Harry and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. 

Ashton stared up at the large banner stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

will be signing copies of his autobiography

* MAGICAL ME *today 12:30 - 4:30 pm

"We can actually meet him!" squealed Hermione annoyingly as Ashton felt like facepalming and hitting his head against the wall several times. "I mean, he's written almost the whole book list!"

"Big deal," muttered Ashton angrily. "any fool can write an biography... this idiot's just showing off..."

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age (which honestly revolted Ashton even more than he expected). A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, 

"Calmly, please, ladies... don't push there... mind the books..." Narrowly, the Golden Quartet squeezed through the doors - Ron blamed it on the amount of books in Hermione's arms but Ashton cut him off before he could say anything else. Gilderoy Lockhart had already started to sign his books with his signature wink at each of them - which could make hearts either melt or gag (in Ashton's case, vomit). 

They each grabbed a copy of one of their necessary books and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Steven and Olivia Granger, Hermione's parents. 

"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute..."

"That can't be a good thing." said Ashton as Hermione shot him a hot glare. Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly his extremely white teeth - immediately making Ashton and his slightly yellow teeth feel insecure.

A reporter for the misfortune that was the Daily Prophet was dancing around taking photographs with a large camera - the same colour as Harry's raven black hair - that produces puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

 "Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet--"

"Oh, you work for the worst newspaper in the world?" snarled Ashton, thinking about the endless amount of times it had slandered his already disgusted name. "Then this is in order." The cameraman let out a yelp as Ashton irritably stomped on his foot even harder than he previously did. 

Unfortunately for Ashton, Gilderoy Lockhart had heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron... then Harry... and then Ashton. 

"It can't be... Harry Potter?" Oh great. The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; until they saw Ashton with him. He was shot a lot of dirty glares which he didn't even bother to respond to until suddenly something invisible bounced off the wall and hit the chandelier above those people. It didn't hit them but caused quite a panic.